Car-fender.



No. 632,068. Patented Aug. 29, |899.

T. SMALL. A

CAR FENDER.

(Application filed Apr. 10, 1809A @www1 af i Maman CSmaZZ,

l@.5/72' @@MW No. 632,068. Patented Aug. 29, i899'.

T SMALL CAB FENDER.- (Application sied Apr. 1o, 1999.;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

THOMAS SMALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,068, dated August 29, 1899.

Application filed April10|1899. Serial No. 712,467. (No model.)

To ZZZ whom, zit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SMALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement ill Oar-Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide a oar-fender of an improved construction whereby the danger of injury to animate bodies struck by it maybe reduced to a minimum.

In carrying out my invention I provide a pivotally-mounted fender-frame with a yielding forward edge portion and supported normally when in use to extend at its forward portion a desired distance above the road-bed, the supporting means for the frame being operative to release the same under an impact against the yielding forward edge portion, whereby the forward part of the frame will drop to or close to the road-bed. Incidentally I provide improved means for maintaining the fender normally at a desired level with relation to the tracks without regard to variations in the relative level of the car-body under change of load or change in grade. I also provide the fender of a construction whereby it may be readily folded out of the way when not in use and with other features, all as hereinafter set forth, which tend to render the fender economical to construct, strong, durable, and well adapted forits purpose.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved fender applied to a car-body, only enough of the latter being shown to illustrate the mode of attachment; Fig. 2, a plan view of the fender; Fig. 3, a section taken on the irregular line 3 of Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig 4, a sectional plan view on line 4 of Fig. l; Fig. 5, a section on line 5 of Fig. 2, showing the fender released from its support and dropped to the road-bed; and Fig. 6 a sectional view corresponding with that shown in Fig. 5, but illustrating the fender in its folded position.

A is a car-body, and B the fender.

t are brackets secured in any suitable manner to the car-body and provided at their forward ends with vertical sleeves t.

The back frame B of the fender consists ofv a top har s and legs s s', which pass loosely downward through the sleeves t, a cross-bar S2 below the sleeves t', and a lower bar or shaft s3, carrying rollers s4, which rest and run upon the track X. The shaft S5 is loosely mounted in the lower ends of the legs s", and the rollers are journaled thereon. Surrounding the legs s and confined between the sleeves il and sleeves 35 at the ends of the cross-bars s2 are springs s6, which tend to press the back frame of the fender downward to maintain the rollers s4 in contact with the track under variations in the level of the carbody A. It will be understood that the carbody A is mounted upon springs on the caraxles and yields under variations in the load.

B2 is a pivotal frame forming part of the fender and consisting of side bars 2J p and cross-bars p p2. The side bars p are fastened to the shaft s, and the harp is formed, preferably at its center, with aloop or stirrup p3, At opposite sides of the stirrup are bracebars p4 p4, which engage the shaft s3 and bars 19'102, as shown, to strengthen the frame. At the forward end of the frame B24 is a shaft n, carrying rollers n' n. These rollers may be of wood or metal and of small diameter.

Bs is a frame extension consisting of side bars Z Z, pivoted upon the shaft n and having shoulders Z', which rest against similar shoulders on the end portions of the hars p when the bars Z extend in direct line with the bars p. Springs Z2 on the shaft yn and engaging the side bars Z tend to hold the latter yieldingly down and permit them `to yield upward in. the event of their striking obstructions. To facilitate this, the forward ends of the bars Z are cam-shaped, as shown at Z3. Fastened at opposite ends to the respective bars Z is a preferably rubber tube or strip Zt, forming a soft and yielding forward edge portion for the fender.

B4 is a springsupporting arm or catch pivotally mounted at one end upon the bar s at the center of the latter. Toward its lower free end the catch B4 presents a shoulder t' and beyond the said shoulder a bearing-surface i. The catch B4 extends downward and forward from the bar s, with its shoulder in position to engage the stirrup p3 and sustain IOO coiled about the bars s and bearing against the catch to press it in the forward direction. Fastened at its forward end portion to the yielding strip Zt is a rod ZL, which passes loosely through guide-openings in the shaft n and cross-bars p2 into contact with the bearing-face t" of the catch B4. Any backward yielding of the strip Zt presses the rod Zt inv the backward direction and causes it to press back the catch B4 to release the stirrupp3 and cause the swinging frame B2 to drop to the position shown in Fig. 5, whereby its forward end portion rests at the rollers n upon the road-bed. The frame may be provided with a net or a sheet of fabric B5, which may be fastened, as shown, to the bars s p2.

When it is desired to fold the fender out of the way, the catch B4 may be released from the stirrup p3 and raised and the frame B2 swung upward upon its pivot at s3, all as shown in Fig. 6. The catch B4 may be caused to pass through an opening y in the netting B5 and the fender fastened in folded position by any suitable means.

When the fender is in its operative position, as shown in Fig. 1, the frame B2 extends horizontally at a distance above the track of from four to six inches to override any small obstacles that may be upon the road-bed. Should a person, child, or adult be struck by the fender, the soft yielding edge portion 7c will do no material injury to his body and by yielding backward will release the frame B2 from the catch, whereby it drops as described. Thus in the further movement of the car the danger of his feet and legs being overridden by the fender, with consequent danger of injury to him, will be obviated, and he will fall against the net or bed B5. Zhen the frame drops, the rollers will tend to cause it to override small obstructions, such as stones, on the road-bed, and in the event that the ends of the arms Z strike obstructions at their cams Z3 they will swing upward against the resistance of the springs Z2. Should the yielding strip 7c pass over the feet of a person, the frame will still drop at its rollers to the road-bed, owing to the pivotal nature of the extensions Z.

I do not wish to limit my invention to the use of the catch described or to the specific mechanisms shown, as the construction may be variously modified Without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a car-fender, the combination of a pivotal frame having a yielding forward edge p01'- tion formed of a strip of soft and iexible material stretched across the frame, a movable supporting-catch for the frame and a catchreleasing rod connected with the yielding edge portion between the ends thereof to disconnect the catch and frame under backward pressure against the said yielding edge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-fender, the combination of a pivotal frame having side bars and a yielding forward edge portion formed of a strip of rubber stretched between and fastened at opposite ends to said side bars, a movable supportingcatch for the frame, and a catch-releasin g rod connected with said rubber strip between the ends thereof to disconnect the catch and frame under backward pressure against the said rubber strip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In acar-fender, the combination of a pivotal frame havingayielding forward edge portion, a swinging catch B4 engaging and snpporting said frame, and a catch-disengaging rod connected with the said yielding edge portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4.. In a car-fender, the combination of a vertically-movable back frame attached to the car and provided with rollers which move upon the track, and a forward-extending frame pivotally connected to said back frame, said forward-extending frame having a yielding forward edge portion and normally supported to extend more or less horizontally above the plane of the track and movable downward from said position under backward pressure against the yielding edge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a car-fender, the combination of the sleeves t fastened to the car, back frame B having a top bar s, legs s' passing through said sleeves, rollers s4, and springs s6 pressing the rollers to the track, frame B2 pivoted to the frame B', catch B4 on the said top bar en gaging and su pportiug the frame B2 in a raised position, frame extension B3 pivoted to the frame B2 and having a yielding edge 7c, and catch-disengaging rod h connected with the yielding edge Zt, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth. o y;

THOMAS SMALL. In presence of- M. S. MACKENZIE, II. J. FROST. 

